Top Sounds 

Our curated picks of the top sounds on TikTok

1. Uncut GAAAHMs  Julia Fox pronounced Uncut Gems in an interesting way during an interview. The result is a trending sound on TikTok. Funnily enough, multiple sections of this sound can be used. The trend is turning from simple lip-synching to using the sound to respond to onscreen text.
2. LGBT by cupkakke  A sound best used with just a hint of humor. After all, it is usually used to poke light fun at performative allyship.
3. IDGAF A sound for when you really don’t care.
4. Meant To Be Yours from Heathers: The Musical This frantic and possessive musical number took off on TikTok in the last two weeks. It even gave one creator 19 million views. A much higher number than his average which had the dual effect of bringing up his overall views and follower count.

Our Sound Highlight: I Do Not Have Time For This

Mood: 

Here’s an example

This sound comes from the Netflix series Inventing Anna. The sound can be used to express annoyance at things that take up time (like two-factor authentication, sorry cybersecurity fans). We think this sound has a LOT of potential. After all, there are a lot of slow and annoying processes in our political system.

 Video Highlight 

This plus-size fashion store develops a sense of fun and community by making content that makes you feel like you’re watching a friend group. They achieve this by pairing their content with Sex & The City audios, finding the exact right pop-culture parallel to express their brand identity.

 Impact Account 

A non-profit, candidate, or organization getting content right:

Alexandra Hunt

Alexander Hunt is running for the House in PA-03. Her average views are high. She keeps on top of trends with a tried-and-tested direct-to-camera approach to content. She uses sounds and keeps on top of topical trends (one of which we featured in this newsletter).

 Tactic Watch 

The tactic you might want to use in your advocacy content:

Short videos with long text.

Here’s an example

By making it so that your viewer cannot read the on-screen text in one viewing you ensure that they rewatch and pause the video. This results in more views (which the TikTok algorithm loves, and will get your video pushed onto more FYPs) and puts the viewer in a position where they are more likely to click the comments and/or your profile because they’ve dedicated time to pause the video.

 The Moment 

Issues that are at the forefront of online discourse: Everyone is talking about us (or, rather, talking about people who work in politics).

“The Great Resignation” and pandemic unemployment have pushed workers’ rights and working conditions to the forefront. This was reflected on social media with the rise of the “I do not dream of labor” trend on YouTube. The phrase even became a popular sound on TikTok. The larger cultural moment and the reconsideration of present labor demands has brought about a particular issue— the overwork, and abusive environments, non-profit and political staffers deal with.

This seemingly niche issue has gained national attention through the creation of workers advocacy accounts on Instagram. The originator @dear_white_staffers focused on BIPOC staff on the Hill while @dear_campaign_staffers sources anonymous tips from campaign and consulting employees. Politico called this “Capitol Hill’s Instagram Revolution.” Increasingly, people beyond the political space are paying attention to the working conditions at non-profits and government offices. Videos under the tag “non-profit industrial complex” have over 2.1 million views on TikTok alone. People are ready to talk about the hypocrisy in progressive spaces- whether it be 80-hour a week standards or anti-unionization but “pro-union” employers.

 The Zeitgeist 

Hot topics from across the internet:

• Is Wordle harder now? Or is this notion similar to how some conspiracy theories function?
• Sup, “metamates.” Facebook Meta decided to refer to employees as Metamates.
• Are you ready for the vibe shift? Trend forecasters who predicted the rise of normcore anticipate the coming of a new era— one a little similar to the aughts American Apparel “unfiltered” aesthetic. So maybe throw on some Rocket Dogs and turn your camera flash on?
• TikTok launched a creator-led NFT collection.
• We’re in the scammer renaissance. Anna Sorokin (Delvey) got a Netflix show while Elizabeth Holmes is being depicted in two projects this year. There’s also a Bitcoin Bonnie and Clyde in the news.
• TikTok, Boom – the documentary premiered on Sundance about TikTok creators.

 Takeaways 

We do this work every day and we see the changes to trends and the platform in real-time. We also undertake experimentation work and invest in trying new things. With all that said, here’s what we’ve learned from our campaigns this week:

Engage with your audience— but be mindful about how you engage.
Talking to people in the comment section is a great best practice. Staying engaged after you post is just as key as putting up content. That said, brands and organizations can get into hot water when they inadequately respond to a request in the comments. Especially when that person is requesting help.

The Funfetti account as a large corporate account received some support for offering a coupon to this unhoused creator but they also received significant backlash. This is a reminder that you have to be aware of how you’re engaging with others on the platform, especially as a large organization (versus a personal account). This is also a reminder that there is room on TikTok to offer more than feedback— TikTok can also be a space to offer concrete assistance to others.